Adjustable shaft mounting means



g- 8, 1950 D. w. AABEL 2,518,263

ADJUSTABLE SHAFT MOUNTING MEANS Filed Aug. 3, 1946 2' Sheets-Sheet 1Aug. 8, 1950 D. Wf AABEL ADJUSTABLE SHAFT MOUNTING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed Aug. 3, 1946 upper bolt 33 has nuts 34 and 35 at the top thereoffor varying the compression of the coil springs. Nuts 36 at the lowerend of bolts 33' and beneath the flange 32 abut a flange 31 projectingoutwardly from the lower edge 26 of the plate 2|, thus limiting thedownward movement of the cylinder with reference to the concave I8. Thisminimum spacing between the cylinder and concave must be adjusted byspreading the pair of nuts 36 so that greater space is provided betweenthe vertically spaced flanges 32 and 31. This would, of course,correspondingly space the cylinder farther from the concave.

If it is desired to raise the cylinder in order to clean out a slug,four nuts 38 on the bolts 22 are slightly loosened and a hand 1ever39 ispulled outwardly so that the spaced parallel arms 49 swing about theirpivotal connection 4| on the lower cross member 26 of the member 2|. Astationary block 42 welded to the cover plate i2 is positioned betweenthe arms 40 and comprises a lock for a cross piece 43 joining the lowerends of the arms 40. The hand lever 39 has an upwardly extendingprojection 44 which is adapted to engage a socket within the stationaryblock 42. The cross piece 43 is pivotally joined to the arms 4|] at 45and carries the hand lever 39. A look nut 46 threadedly engages the handlever 39 and is adapted to be drawn up against the bottom of the crosspiece 43. This lever mechanism is commonly called an over-center lockingdevice. In operation, the lock nut 46 is'turned downwardly and the handlever 39 is pulled outwardly thus causing the cross piece 43 to pull outfrom beneath the stationary block 42 and permitting the entire bracket2|, including the plate, with the threshing cylinder l l to be movedupwardly a distance equal to the length of the slots 23. In this mannerthe machine can be cleared of any large slugs of material that havecaused jamming. In order to resume operation of the threshing machine,the handle 39 with its cross piece 43 is swung downwardly around thebottom of the stationary b ock 42 so that the upper projection 44 of thehandle 39 engages the notch in the block 42. The handle 39 is preferablyswung against the side sheet H] of the threshing machine so that itconstitutes an over-center locking which prevents release of thethreshing cylinder at any time except when desired.

In normal operation of a threshing machine the cylinder I is held underan even pressure by reason of the four coil springs 3| spaced in thefour corners of the device. When greater amounts of material are passedthrough the threshing machine, the cylinder will raise as requiredagainst the action of the springs 3|. The bearing 39 and its housing 39'move upwardly through anelongated slot 41 in the side sheet and coverplates ID and I2 respectively. By using four springs, the cylinder needonly raise on the side or. corner where the excessive amounts ofmaterial are present, and in this manner lesser quantities of grainwhich are fed to other corners or portions of the threshing cylinder andconcave will be threshed as efiiciently as the grain coming in in largequantities.

The modified thresher cylinder mounting as shown in Figures 3 and 4 isidentical to the device shown in Figures 1 and 2 with the exception ofthe spring means for applying downward force on the cylinder. A bracket2| similar to bracket 2| has vertical sides 24. The sides 24 haveoutwardly turned flanges 48. These flanges 48 are similar to the flanges21 shown in Figure 1 but are considerably longer. The top 49 of thebrackshown in the device in Figures 1 and 2.

et 2| is equipped with an outward projection 50 which may be integralwith the bracket 2| or may be welded as shown at 5| across the top 49 ofthe plate like bracket 2| A plate 52 carrying a bearing HI and itshousing 10 corresponds to the plate 28 in the device as shown in Figures1 and 2 and the bearing 30. The plate 52 has outwardly extending sideprojections 53 welded at 54 to the plate 52 and here again theseprojections may be formed as a part of the late 52. A leaftype spring 55is guided at its central portion 55 by a pin 51 projecting down throughthe top member 50 and through an aperture in the leaf spring 55. Anadjustable stop 58 consists of a lug 59 welded at 60 to the cross piece49 and has a vertically positioned bolt 93 threadedly engaging anaperture in the lug 59. A centrally positioned projection 62 inhorizontal alinement with the projections 53 is welded at 63 to theplate 52.

In operation, material is passed through the threshing machine, and whenthere is suffioient quantity to overcome the action of the leaf spring55, the cylinder H is raised with the Plate 52, the side projections 53contacting the downwardly curved ends 64 of the leaf spring 55 thereuponcausing the spring 55 to'straighten out. Upward movement of the cylinderl is limited by the centrally positioned projection 62 striking thelower end of the bolt 6| on the stop member 58. It is apparent that theamount of travel of the plate 52 may be limited by adjustment of thebolt 6| with respect to its stationary support 59. The lower limit-ofthe plate 52 is fixed by a stop member 65 welded at 56 to the lower edgeof the bracket 2 corresponding to the lower cross member 26 of thedevice as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The plate 52 is equipped withupwardly extending side flanges 57 corresponding to the side flanges 29of the plate 28. The plate 52 and it side flanges 6'! slide verticallywithin the flanges 48 of the bracket 2|. The leaf spring 55 having itscentral portion anchored and its ends 64 acting downwardly against thesides of the plate 52 corresponds to the separate coil springs 3| asBoth modifications have the principle of uniform spring action againstthe threshing cylinder and yet permit any'part of the cylinder to raiseindepend ently of another part in order to efficiently thresh grain.

Numerous details of construction may be varied throughout a wide rangeWithout departing from. the principles disclosed herein, and;-.Itherefore do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwisethan as necessitated by the appended claim.

What is claimed is: I

In a shaft mounting means within a housing having spaced side walls,brackets adjustable vertioally on said housing side walls, said bracketshaving vertical slots therein, bolt means fixed to said housing walls.and projecting through said slots, nut means for engaging the' boltmeans when the brackets are in any relative position with respect tosaid housing walls, said brackets arranged and constructed to carry ashaft, hinged lever means mounted on said brackets, and socket blocks onsaid housing for lockingly receiving said hinged lever means, wherebyeach of said brackets may be raised or lowered after loosening of saidnut means and raising of said hinged lever means away from the socketblocks.

DONALD W. AABEL.

. (References on following page) REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Number Name Date Brock Aug. 31, 1915 Cooper Feb.15, 1916 Howson Apr. 16, 1929 Anderson et a1 May 4, 1943 Number Number

